Peer Support Volunteer Roles in Chester, Cheshire West And Chester
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We are a volunteer-run organisation whose aim is to ensure that everybody impacted by borderline personality disorder is supported in their recovery.
Peer support is about sharing your lived experience of mental health struggles with other people with the hope of providing, support, encouragement, and validation that you understand what they are going through, that they are not alone in their feelings and circumstance. We believe that peer support is an important part of the recovery journey, as it provides a space for support, shared understanding, helps reduce stigma and fosters motivation and hope.
We run several online peer support groups each month for people living with borderline personality disorder and are seeking compassionate and empathetic people to co-facilitate the groups. All groups are facilitated by two peer support workers, and follow a semi-structured pattern.
As a volunteer, you will receive comprehensive training, accessible online. We also provide ongoing supervision, support to ensure that you can effectively support others while prioritizing your own recovery. The training covers various areas such as peer support, communication, safeguarding, and facilitation skills.
Role description
- to co-facilitate a support group of 10-15 people on a fortnightly/monthly basis
- to provide support in a group peer support setting
- to share own experiences without taking away from the others persons current feelings and situation
- to use active listening and personal experiences to reassure and validate group members
- to enable and encourage service users to find out resources and local services
- to encourage wellbeing and recovery
Person specification
- Lived experience of mental health
- Able to use own experiences openly while maintaining strong boundaries
- Access to a reliable internet connection, a computer with webcam, and a confidential space.
- Commitment to our aims and mission
Availability and Committment
We ask that you have availability 2-3 hours per month for a minimum of 6 months. Our groups are held on mid-week evenings and Sunday evenings.
How to apply
Please submit a cover letter with your application, detailing your relevant experience. Please also indicate which specific group you are interested in co-facilitating if you have a preference.
Diversity Statement
We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills and views. The more inclusive we are, the more people we can support. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Please note that you must be a UK resident with the right to live and work in the UK. This role is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you enjoying talking with people and helping them based on your life experiences?
Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?
Yes? We’d love to hear from you.
What is knus?
knus is the UK’s first free, confidential, mental health peer support and coaching online chat service. knus offers mental health educational plans, relaxation experiences and live workshops.
What does knus mean? 'hug' in Danish.
Here’s some further information on what’s needed:
Are you over 18 and living in the UK?
You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.
Do you have a laptop?
A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.
How much time can you give?
A minimum of 3+ hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.
Do you like to learn?
We provide training for all volunteers that join us. Our peer support training is CPD accredited. 20-25 hours of volunteering training is required and is self led online.
If you’re interested head over to our website and we can have a chat or apply here.
Please note - all successful volunteers are required to pay the cost price of £20.60 for an Enhanced DBS check. If you've got a current Enhanced DBS on the update service, this cost will not apply.
You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Become a GamCare Online Peer Supporter
Make a difference by using your own experiences
For over 25 years, GamCare has been there for people experiencing gambling harms, whether that be people who gamble themselves or someone impacted by someone else’s gambling. We offer support over the phone, face-to-face or online and our treatment is free, flexible and confidential.
We are currently recruiting for Online Peer Supporters, to provide one-to-one and group support to both individuals who gamble and those affected by someone else’s gambling. Using their own experiences of gambling-related harms, volunteers will support others digitally as part of our Online Support Services and will include email support as well as facilitating our Forum and Chatrooms.
Full training and ongoing support will be provided to enable you to use your lived experience to work with our team as an Online Peer Supporter, providing support to all of those affected by gambling.
We believe that peer support is essential in the recovery journey. It provides:
- Shared understanding
- Reduces stigma
- A non-judgemental environment
- Practical insights and tools
- Continued motivation and hope
Our online platforms are designed to provide social connection to those who could be isolated or feel they have no one else to talk to. People accessing our services have identified that receiving support from someone who has had similar experiences can really benefit them when overcoming the challenges they may face on their recovery journey. It also provides a sense of community and belonging and contributes to the long-term support of those accessing these services.
Training
A comprehensive training programme will be delivered by our Lived Experience Volunteering team to provide you with the skills and confidence to use your experiences to support others while protecting your own recovery. Training includes:
- Safeguarding
- Motivational interviewing
- Facilitation skills
Role Responsibilities
Online Peer Supporters will:
- Navigate and guide contacts through existing services at GamCare and the National Gambling Support Network.
- Use motivational interviewing skills while drawing from their own lived experience to provide a supportive, non-judgemental space for those affected by gambling harms.
- Facilitate discussions via our online support services, including:
Email – you will be paired with an individual for regular email correspondence (up to 3 emails per week for 6 months)
Chatrooms – you will facilitate group discussions and supporting conversation between people at various stages of recovery
Forum – you will initiate discussions, respond to posts, and provide encouragement, signposting and support to forum users
- Help individuals set aims and goals to move to a more positive, sustained recovery whilst also providing resources to support people with these plans.
- Recognise the purpose and remit of our service and signposting to other internal and external support where appropriate.
What can I expect from GamCare?
In return, GamCare will:
- Provide a full, comprehensive induction and training programme
- Give you access to a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator
- Offer and arrange 1:1 and group supervision
- Fully support your own wellbeing and recovery journey
- Give ongoing training and development opportunities
- Provide access to some internal job opportunities within our services team
- Provide a reference after 3 months of regular volunteering
Role Requirements
For any of our volunteering roles we ask that you have lived experience of gambling-related harms. This includes being affected by someone else’s gambling (friend or family member).
We ask that you’ve been in positive, sustained recovery for at least one year before volunteering with us.
This role is completely remote, so you’ll need access to a reliable internet connection, a computer and a confidential space.
For full role requirements, please see the Role Profile on our website.
Please note that this role is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Please do not let that deter you from applying as all applications will be considered.
Availability & Commitment
We ask that you have availability at a regular time for around 1-2 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.
Before volunteering with us, you will need to complete a mixture of self-directed online training and live online group training sessions delivered by our Volunteer Coordinators over a period of approximately 4 weeks.
Full details of the induction, including the next available dates will be sent to you by a member of the team within one week of receiving your application.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones. Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.
Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:
- Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
- A call-back Peer Support Line
- Our eCommunity
In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.
How volunteers support us
We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.
Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.
Our commitment to volunteers:
We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.
To support you, we will:
- Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
- Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
- Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
- Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
- Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
- Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
- Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
- Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
- Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
- Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development
Training and development
All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.
Who can volunteer?
As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.
Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.
Skills and experience
We look for people who:
- Communicate well
- Enjoy teamwork
- Are able to adapt and willing to learn
- Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
- See situations with objectivity and compassion
- All our volunteers must be 18 or older.
Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.
We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.
What we ask of volunteers:
We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.
We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar. All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.
Volunteers should:
- Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
- Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
- Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
- Communicate effectively with the team
- Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
- Have basic IT skills and computer literacy
Our volunteering roles:
- Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
- Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
- Support Group Administrator
- Peer Support Line Volunteer
- Media Ambassador
- Fundraising Assistant
- Events Assistant
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About Us
We are the only national non-profit supporting people in the UK impacted by borderline personality disorder (BPD). We provide peer support, signposting, information and advice to individuals living with BPD, their families and carers.
About the Role
Our busy support services team is seeking a reliable and organised volunteer to assist the signposting service. You will respond to queries from health and social care professionals and service users. In addition, you will provide administrative support to the team and processing referrals emailed into the service.
Responsibilities in this role include:
- Providing information and advice to health and social professionals and service users
- Processing new referrals
- Navigating and inputting information into our secure database, handling client data and sensitive information
- Explaining confidentiality to health and social care professionals and service users and seeking consent to store or share information where necessary
- Signposting and referring callers to appropriate alternative services as required
Who are we looking for?
The ideal volunteer will have:
- An understanding of the issues faced by people impacted by BPD, or willing to learn about this
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Good administrative and computer skills including proficient use of Microsoft Office
- A solid understanding of the importance of professional boundaries and confidentiality
- The ability to exercise a non-discriminatory, non-judgemental approach to supporting people
- A flexible approach to your work
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise
Please note you will need a DBS check (if you do not have one, we can do that for you)and two references for this role.
What can you gain from this opportunity?
As part of this role you will have the opportunity to:
- Work as part of a national organisation to support people impacted by borderline personality disorder, and their families
- Develop skills in providing signposting, information and advice
- Gain knowledge of the support service options available to people in the UK
- Gain experience of multi-agency partnership working
We offer full volunteer induction and training, where you will be fully supported to understand, and carry out every aspect of the role.
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for our volunteers. The service users we support come from all backgrounds and we want to reflect that in our volunteering team. We are happy to consider any adjustments you might need to support you in your role. If you would like to discuss this further with the volunteer team, please let us know. This will not affect your application.
About the project:
The Helpdesk Project is a unique initiative where trained volunteers offer information on local services and peer support to people attending MS clinics at the Walton Centre in Liverpool.
More than 130,000 people live with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK. Every one of them shares the uncertainty of life with MS.
People are most likely to find out they have MS in their thirties, forties and fifties; news that can be worrying and heartbreaking. Having somebody who has local knowledge and can signpost to information and services can provide vital support to people at the start of their MS journey.
About the role:
Do you have good organisational and communication skills?
We are looking for a volunteer who could help with supporting people with MS at the support desk. Please see the Role Description for more details about the tasks you may be involved in.
Time and Commitment
This role will take place at the Walton Centre Hospital.
We are looking for volunteers who can offer two or three hours a week, where you would attend the hospital help desk.
There will also be quarterly volunteer support sessions you will be asked to attend.
Training and support:
You’ll receive role-specific training and support from the MS Support Team and the Regional Development Officer.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Borderline Support UK CIC are a small non-profit organisation made up entirely of volunteers. We work to support people with borderline personality disorder through peer support groups, signposting, and more.
Lived experience isn’t necessary for this post, but it would be an advantage.
We are currently looking for enthusiastic and passionate Research Assistants who can dedicate a few hours a month to work on projects with Borderline Support UK. We aren’t looking for people with buckets of experience (although please apply if you do!), so no matter your experience we’d like to hear from you. The more Lived Experience voices we have on our team, the better!
Some of the projects we’re running at the moment are as follows:
- Under 18’s Resource Creation
- 18+ Resource Creation
- Social Media Content
- Support Services across the UK
- Lived Experience data collection
There will be scope to work on larger scale research projects in the future.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Men Who Talk is a UK registered charity, running twice monthly online peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ across the UK. The groups take places between 7:00 - 8:30pm during week nights.
Our groups are supportive spaces for men aged 18+ to come and talk openly about what's on their mind. All groups are free to attend and follow the evidence based model of peer support.
Volunteers are required to be online from 6:45pm to 8:45pm, and are required to facilitate around 1 group per month. Volunteers are asked to commit to an a minimum of 6 months of volunteering in the initial stage.
All groups are facilitated by 2 facilitators, and follow a semi-structured pattern.
We are looking for passionate men with some experience of groups facilitating or working in mental health settings to come join us as facilitators. Experience in using online platforms such as zoom is essential.
A degree in psychology is preferred but not an essential requirement.
Why Join MWT?
Men Who Talk is an exciting, fast growing charity, creating new spaces for men to talk openly about what's on their mind.
We have a diverse team full of talented and passionate individuals who are committed to changing the face of mens mental health across the UK.
As well as the opportunity to join the organisation at an exciting stage of it's development, volunteers also have the opportunity to develop their own skills and have regular chances to feed into the creative and strategic development of the organisation.
PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to accept applications from individuals who already have the right to live and work in the UK.
Please tell us in a few short paragraphs why you would like to join Men Who Talk.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About the project:
The Helpdesk Project is a unique initiative where trained volunteers offer information on local services and peer support to people attending MS clinics at the Walton Centre in Liverpool.
More than 130,000 people live with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK. Every one of them shares the uncertainty of life with MS.
People are most likely to find out they have MS in their thirties, forties and fifties; news that can be worrying and heartbreaking. Having somebody who has local knowledge and can signpost to information and services can provide vital support to people at the start of their MS journey.
About the role:
Do you have good organisational and communication skills?
We are looking for a volunteer who could help with recruiting and supporting other volunteers within the project. Please see the Role Description for more details about the tasks you may be involved in.
Time and Commitment
We are looking for volunteers who can offer two or three hours a week.
This role can be carried out at home and we would also like you to attend the hospital help desk on an occasional basis
There will also be quarterly volunteer support sessions you will be asked to attend.
Training and support:
You’ll receive role-specific training and support from the MS Support Team and the Regional Development Officer.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Amazing, giving, inspiring and awesome are just a few of the words we would use to describe our volunteers.
Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.
About the role
Do you have great administration and IT skills and enjoy meeting new people? Want a flexible voluntary role that allows you to make a difference to peoples’ lives? Then read on!
We are looking for a Volunteer On-line Meeting Assistant to support the Head of Area (Central Region) with organising and preparing for monthly and quarterly virtual meetings, and on occasion events or conferences.
You will be remote based at home, with some occasional travel for face-to-face meetings (expenses reimbursed), and ideally will be able to commit up to 4 hours per week to volunteering, during usual office hours Monday to Friday.
You will receive training and regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role.
What you will be doing as a Volunteer On-line Meeting Assistant
The majority of meetings are held virtually on-line via MS Teams. You will support the Head of Area (and meeting Chair) by:
- Co-ordinating meeting invitations (via MS Teams), attendee registration and apologies
- Distributing documents in advance of meetings
- Take notes of the meeting and share these with attendees, eg, updating SharePoint
- General meeting support, share any slides, launch polls and set up break out rooms as required during virtual meetings
- Co-ordinate and collate post event evaluations and feedback
- Develop and maintain information systems, eg, attendee contact details and distribution lists
What will make you a great fit for this role?
- Experience of note taking
- Good listening & orgnisational skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft office packages, Outlook and MS Teams
- Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise work
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Warm, friendly, empathetic and able to connect with people from a range of backgrounds
Who are we?
We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
At Koala NW, our volunteer support is at the heart of what we do and we know how much our families appreciate the support our volunteers offer.
As a Koala North West volunteer, you will be given the training and support to make a real difference to families in your community. You will also develop transferable skills which can support you in your life, whether that’s at home or at work. You will make friends along the way and join other volunteers for peer support sessions and join in celebrations like National Volunteers week & Christmas events.
Once you have completed your 6 session training programme, you will be matched to a suitable family to offer emotional and practical support. You will be supported by a coordinator and given support and supervision regularly.
Every family we support is unique so the support that we offer is equally unique to that family and depends entirely on the circumstances and what they would like support with. We help parents identify what they are already doing well, and support them to build on this to improve their relationships with their children.
You will be visiting families in their own homes once a week for an hour or two, if you have availability to support more than one family just let us know and you can be matched to additional families. Or you may be offering virtual support. During the pandemic, we had to adjust our home visiting to virtual support, via zoom, telephone /What’s App video calls/ texts. It proved very successful as this was a regular contact for families during lockdown.
Due to the success of virtual support, if families prefer this type of support as an alternative to home visits, that’s okay.
Support in one or more of the following areas could be offered:
- Social isolation/loneliness, support families to get outdoors, walking with them to the park or accompanying to appointments etc
- Poor emotional and/or mental health wellbeing
- Managing children’s behaviours/sleep issues
- School readiness
- Family bereavement
- Disability/complex needs or ill health
- New baby/multiple births
- Difficulty with home management/routine
- Budgeting
All home visits by volunteers are carried out between 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. (Flexible around family and work commitments)
What does Koala NW expect from you?
- You have parenting experience
- You have a non-judgemental attitude
- You are flexible and can commit to 2 hours minimum each week for a period of at least 12 months
- You are able to attend a 6 session training course. Training is held locally and runs 1 day a week for 6 consecutive weeks between 9.30am and 2.30pm
- You are willing to attend ongoing training to support you in your volunteering role.
We are proud that 43% of our current staff started as volunteers with Koala North West.
Since we started, we have supported in excess of 12,000 families and trained more than 1,500 volunteers.
Volunteering can change a family's life and 1-2 hours per week can make such a huge difference. Our volunteers are the difference.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Parkinson’s changes lives. From the day of diagnosis, people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones need to know we’re by their side.
By 2024 Parkinson’s UK will provide personalised information, services and opportunities, from day one, to many more people affected by the condition. But, we need your help to do this.
If you're looking to meet new people and make a real difference in your local community, this role is for you. Leading the support group in Reigate, you'll help people affected by Parkinson's to draw on invaluable support from their peers.
You'll have a chance to use and develop your administrative, leadership and communication skills - supported by local staff, to develop a programme of activities for your group.
As part of recruitment, you will be asked to provide a reference for this role. Speak to your staff contact for more information.
Why we want you
Support groups across the UK are run by volunteers and offer friendship and support to people living with Parkinson's and their families and friends. These groups need a leader, working with other staff and volunteers, to coordinate and arrange the activities the group will offer - from monthly talks, to yoga.
What you will be doing
- Act as a contact for local and UK office staff
- Arrange the group's programme of activities, including any outings
- Organise room booking and refreshments
- Working with staff and other volunteers to ensure the group runs in line with Parkinson's UK guidelines
The skills you need
- Strong administrative skills, communication and IT skills in order to ensure smooth running of the group
- Collaborative and team focused, as you will need to gather and distribute information to everyone involved
- A positive attitude to making things happen in the local community
- Motivated and reliable, with strong organisational skills in order to support the group
- Enthusiastic and friendly, as you will be representing both the local group and Parkinson's UK
What's in it for you
- You'll help people with Parkinson's in your community get connected to invaluable support from their peers
- Meet new people and make new friends, both in the group and in the local community
- Learn and develop valuable organisational, administrative and people skills
Disclaimer
It's important that people affected by Parkinson’s can trust us with their personal information. You would be handling personal or sensitive data, so by undertaking this role you'll need to complete our Advanced Data Protection training. Your Parkinson’s UK staff contact can help you do this. You will also be required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
As a Digital Champion you will provide support to our clients who struggle with IT and monitor our online peer support platforms. You will need to understand the importance of digital literacy to our clients. There will be a ‘referral’ system from keyworkers and staff members who will identify clients in need of digital support, while monitoring our Fuse and Discord platforms will be an ongoing task.
To be successful in this role you will have excellent communication skills, IT skills and a true passion and commitment to supporting vulnerable people to address their support needs and fulfill their full potential. The Forward Trust is committed to tackling ‘digital exclusion’ within our client base.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Service Delivery – Client support tasks:
- Provide remote support for clients who struggle with IT.
- Helping to build clients confidence and self-esteem with using popular digital technology.
- Monitoring Forward’s online peer support platforms to safeguard clients from inappropriate content
- Raising awareness of online services and the support available locally.
- Build a trusting and supportive relationship with clients.
- Listen to the clients concerns and work with them to overcome those.
Forward Fuse:
Fuse is an online ‘learning and knowledge’ platform. It combines elements of social media with e-learning. Forward Trust uses it for clients to share peer support and receive news of events, activities and services.
- Supporting the Forward Fuse platform as a moderator outside of normal staff working hours – monitoring content and comments for breaking of the Ground Rules, and encouraging engagement.
Discord:
Discord is a digital messaging platform on which Forward clients can safely chat with others who share similar objectives around recovery and self-growth, sharing support and combatting isolation in the process.
- Supporting the Discord platform as a moderator outside of normal staff working hours – monitoring messages for breaking of the User Agreement
Additional tasks:
- Support with web coding (if you have relevant experience)
- Engage in support and supervision provided.
- To keep a good record of your work, including reporting verbally to their supervisor and completing relevant forms.
This may vary depending on your specific team and time commitment.
EXPENSES
- Travel and lunch expenses will need to be pre-agreed with placement supervisor if travel is required.
TRAINING & INDUCTION
Induction training will be provided to the volunteer and will include the following:
- E-Learning:
- Data Protection/GDPR/PECR
- Safeguarding – Knowledge
- Health & Safety – Knowledge
- Volunteer Induction – Organisational Awareness
- Digital Unite – available e-learning module and resources to help structure support sessions with clients
- A full induction to your team including placement specific policies and procedures.
- Additional volunteer training will be discussed and offered according to the need of the volunteer in placement.
QUALITIES
Below is a list of the qualities that we are looking for from volunteers:
- Must be over 18 years of age.
- Ability to use computers and IT equipment.
- Confident to pass on digital skills in a friendly and supportive manner.
- Content Moderator – ability to evaluate content in line with content and policies.
- Web coding (preferable) – specific information needed.
- To have the ability to engage effectively with the client group.
- To have good verbal and written communication skills.
- To have a clear understanding and maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
- To have a clear understanding of how to set and maintain boundaries.
- To be able to communicate and actively listen to client’s concerns.
- To be able to treat clients in a positive and non-judgemental manner.
- To be committed to own learning and development.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
At Koala NW, our volunteer support is at the heart of what we do and we know how much our families appreciate the support our volunteers offer.
As a Koala North West volunteer, you will be given the training and support to make a real difference to families in your community. You will also develop transferable skills which can support you in your life, whether that’s at home or at work. You will make friends along the way and join other volunteers for peer support sessions and join in celebrations like National Volunteers week & Christmas events.
Once you have completed your 6 session training programme, you will be matched to a suitable family to offer emotional and practical support. You will be supported by a coordinator and given support and supervision regularly.
Every family we support is unique so the support that we offer is equally unique to that family and depends entirely on the circumstances and what they would like support with. We help parents identify what they are already doing well, and support them to build on this to improve their relationships with their children.
You will be visiting families in their own homes once a week for an hour or two, if you have availability to support more than one family just let us know and you can be matched to additional families. Or you may be offering virtual support. During the pandemic, we had to adjust our home visiting to virtual support, via zoom, telephone /What’s App video calls/ texts. It proved very successful as this was a regular contact for families during lockdown.
Due to the success of virtual support, if families prefer this type of support as an alternative to home visits, that’s okay.
Support in one or more of the following areas could be offered:
- Social isolation/loneliness, support families to get outdoors, walking with them to the park or accompanying to appointments etc
- Poor emotional and/or mental health wellbeing
- Managing children’s behaviours/sleep issues
- School readiness
- Family bereavement
- Disability/complex needs or ill health
- New baby/multiple births
- Difficulty with home management/routine
- Budgeting
All home visits by volunteers are carried out between 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. (Flexible around family and work commitments)
What does Koala NW expect from you?
- You have parenting experience
- You have a non-judgemental attitude
- You are flexible and are able to commit to 2 hours minimum each week for a period of at least 12 months
- You are able to attend a 6 session training course. Training is held in Chester and runs 1 day a week for 6 consecutive weeks between 9.30am and 2.30pm
- You are willing to attend ongoing training to support you in your volunteering role.
We are proud that 43% of our current staff started as volunteers with Koala North West.
Since we started, we have supported in excess of 12,000 families and trained more than 1,500 volunteers.
Volunteering can change a family's life and 1-2 hours per week can make such a huge difference. Our volunteers are the difference.
Full training will be provided and paid travel expenses.
Job Type: Volunteer
Work Location: In person
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
HeadsOut Imago group: Trans, Non-Binary Support Group – Volunteer Co-Facilitator
Imago is a peer support group for trans, non-binary and non-cisgender people offering a safe, identity affirming space for support to improve their mental health, emotional and social well-being and through community connection. Imago aims to support members with shared struggles and challenges that they may commonly face as non-cis people, to help them find and celebrate genuine joy and self-confidence. It meets every Wednesday between 7pm and 8:30 pm, currently online via Microsoft Teams.
This role includes:
· Working alongside a member of the HeadsOut Team
· Co-facilitating the weekly group
· Contributing to planned activities
· Participating in training and reflective practice sessions
Person Specification
· Ability to commit to 6 months of 2 hours a week on Wednesdays from 6.45pm-8.45pm (for the session and a team debrief)
· Experience of supporting people who are experiencing mental distress
· Good active listening skills and empathic engagement
· A non-judgemental approach
· Willingness to take initiative and facilitate a group of diverse individuals
Mental Health Volunteers for elop’s HeadsOut Service
HeadsOut is a strengths-based crisis prevention, intervention and wellbeing LGBT+ support service.
Our aim is to enhance people’s wellbeing and functioning by focusing on their strengths and resources, reinforcing resilience and enhancing protective external factors, including creating safe spaces, community connection, a sense of belonging, empowerment and affirmation.
By joining the HeadsOut Team you will:
· Support people who experience mental distress
· Make a positive contribution to the LGBT+ community
· Be given relevant training and support